On Tuesday’s Hardball, the host asked, “Why don't we just change the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of Killing Islamic People on Global Television Department, because that's what we've been doing for a dozen years?” (video follows with transcript and commentary):

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Let me finish tonight with this. Let me say it loud and clear: If we're going into another Mideast war after Afghanistan, after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, after our leading from behind in Libya, shouldn't there be some kind of vote on whether we do it or not? Shouldn't we do it the right way and end diplomatic relations with the government of Syria before we start handing out rifles to people who kill the leaders of that country? Wouldn’t that be the serious, right thing to do if we ourselves are serious about this? If we are going to commit an act of war against another government, shouldn't we be straight up about it? Or is overthrowing Islamic governments what we do now? Is that now the natural business of this country?

So why don't we just change the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of Killing Islamic People on Global Television Department, because that's what we've been doing for a dozen years? I'm being sarcastic because it's the only way to describe what I consider the true American reaction to this thing we now do without even having a vote on the matter. We don't bother to declare war because it's become just the normal thing we do. Why declare it when war has become the new damn normal?

This isn't the first time Matthews made such a statement. He did so in May.